Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, trust me if I did I would be the happiest person in the world. :D

Pairings: Eventual Ari/Evelyn(Kelly),

Looking to be Tate

Tony/Evie friendship

Ducky/Audrey (Other pairings will appear when I decide)

NOTE: The medical references as to the brain tumor, inspired a GH storyline as well Still Small Voices movie, so I don't know how exactly accurate that information is for I am not a brain surgeon. For the languages, and other medical information that will presented later in the story are all things I researched from the internet, and while I do try to make sure information is accurate as can be determined some things may not be, so I apology before hand for any mistakes or ignorance on my part.

I want to thank, Dricsj, Gibbs Girl Kelly, HannahbananaJane, JainaSyal, Lady Knight Aria of Haven, Notheronebitesdadust21, Probie girl1717, UnknownFlux, cheether, chrissypotter, Leonarange, lexilia, pavinet, torontogirl12, skeeter88, stargatesg1973, wisegirl71301, OzNCISLover and yadoonkeenjaani, for all the follows!

I also want to thank, UnknownFlux, HannahbananaJane, JainaSyal, skeeter88, stargatesg1973, Notheronebitesdadust21, smilin steph, bulletproofdeath, Leonarange, torontogirl12, wisergirl71301, for the favs!

You are all awesome!

Now I want to give a special thanks to the reviewers! Thanks, Suddenly Psychotic, Buckeye am I, JainaSyal, torontogirl12, OzNCISLover and Gibbs Girl Kelly. You words have inspired me to write faster and get this chapter done.

Chapter Three

'The Pigeon, the Statue'

Her mother used to say, "Some days you're the pigeon, some days you're the statue." Her heart throbbing in her chest like a mad drummer, as thunder rumbled from the dark clouds above them. Evelyn breathed through her nose, her lungs searing as she raced to keep up with their suspect, with Tony at her side. In that moment, she rather felt like the statue. "Freeze!" Tony shouted, gun in hand. The suspect just ran faster. "Damn it!"

Evie's lips twitched slightly upward in a smile, as Audrey's voice filtered through the back of her head, "Language young man." Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to run faster despite her muscles burning from strain. Must build up stamina, she thought to herself. Take up running. "Stop running!" She barked out, angrily her feet hitting the pavement hard, sending up water from the puddles brought on by the chilling rain.

It had been a month since she had been on Gibbs's team, and a lot of things had changed. She had found a sense of self being on the team, working with them although Gibbs's still hadn't given her gun back, leaving her only with her back up. The weight in her hand a reminded that he still had reservations about her, but with each case she had pushed herself to her limits to prove herself. She just hope he saw that.

She sucked in a harsh breath leaning forward, with a gleam of triumphant in her eyes when she realized she was gaining on her suspect. With in three long sprints, he was within reach and she grabbed him by the back of his jeans, only when she tried to pull him to a halt there was a loud ripping and the man gave a cry of panic before slamming into the pavement. Evie stood there for a moment, while Tony slid to a halt and blinked. "That's honestly not how I saw this ending," Evelyn confided, glancing over at Tony.

Tony waved it off. "I've seen stranger things…not by much, I admit, but seen stranger." He then turned to the suspect who just groaned lying on the ground, pants less. "You have the right to remain silent," Tony began the paused, glancing down at the man's colorful underwear. "You also have the right to a pair of pants…"

Evelyn snorted in laughter.

The case was easily solved after that. Stuck alone in interrogation with Gibbs's the man easily crumbled, confessing to helping the First Sergeant's daughter plot her own father's murder. The First Sergeant's daughter, Amelia apparently was left with a inheritance from her grandparents but her father had control over it until Amelia turned twenty one. Amelia hadn't wanted to wait and hatched the plot to kill her own father.

After getting the man's confession, and watching as they dragged the screaming Amelia away in cuffs, Gibbs prayed that Kelly wouldn't have ended up like that. He couldn't imagine his little girl who would steal his coffee in the morning so she could dip Oreos in it hating him.

I official hate the man, Evelyn stared at the report on her desk that she hurried to finish up. He was the grumpy, dictatorial boss she had ever worked for and would not be surprised if one of his previous agents had shot at him. If he wasn't her flesh and blood, she probably would have. She was writing up her report for the third time, and she knew everything was perfect last time. She had checked it several times over before giving it to him, and had a feeling this was another one of the man's attempts at pushing her buttons. If he sent it back a third time, she was going to write it again in the oh-so-many-colors of gel pens. Not to mention on top of that, Kate and Tony kept making jokes about Evelyn taking the pants of the suspect.

"There are easier ways to get dates, y'know," Tony shot at her. She covertly flipped him the bird when Gibbs was absorbed in paperwork, and Tony gasp as if affronted by the vulgar display. Then Tony suddenly got a Cheshire sort of grin on his face that made Evelyn very nervous.

"You know," he stated, his eyes in Evelyn's direction making her tense, "we haven't had one of our team nights in a while."

Kate let out a groan. "Oh, no, Tony. Remember what happened last time?" She asked, shooting him a dry look.

"That was not my fault, Kate," Tony gave her a tiny glare, before putting back on his smile and hurriedly continuing, "And since Evie is our new member, I think she should host it."

Evelyn's entire body froze, sweat instantly breaking out across her forehead and panic prickling alone her spine. She swallowed thickly and raised her gaze to Tony view him through evilly slitted eyes. Well, if you just suggested what I think you just suggested then you official have dethroned my father as my most hated person at this moment, Anthony DiNozzo.

Kate bit her lip, then smirk slightly. "You know…that's not a half bad idea," she stated, earning a nasty glare for her comment. "I mean, as a team we should get to know each other."

"You're right, Kate," Tony nodded, then shot a look at Gibbs who was trying to hide his amusement. "Isn't she, boss?"

Gibbs's lips twitched up into a slightly taunting smirk when Evelyn swirled around to face him from her desk that directly adjacent from his. "Can't find fault in that kind of reasoning," he stated, leaning back in his chair. "Unless you have a problem with that, Matthews?"

Another thing that made her mad. It was always Matthews, never Evelyn, and it irked her badly. Her fingers brushed over the last few keys as she fought for her composure. Surely she could get through one evening with them all there? And she didn't have to let them in her house, they could just stay out on the patio. Besides if she refused, Gibbs would think she has something to hide…which she kind of did, but that wasn't the point. After the whole incident with Suzanne McNeil two months ago, she had redecorate and repaint in order to once again feel safe in her home. "Nope, I have no problem with that all, boss," she stated, her voice sounding strange to her own ears.

"Great," Tony clapped his hands together, rubbing them in glee. "Friday night, everyone in an agreement?"

They all nodded, and Evelyn just sighed.

Ari Haswari stood there, still as the unmovable mountains and his expression carefully blank as he stared forward at some unforeseeable distance. Ari had been only one thing in his entire life, a trained killer. He had been molded from the very day he had been born to Dr. Benjamin Weinstein (aka Eli David) and Hasmia Haswari thirty five years ago into the deadly tool that stood here today. He was taught not to want, to need, or to feel anything. That only got in the way.

He was a shade, slinking around in the shadows killing and doing his missions without question. And now he stood waiting for his next assignment. The doors behind him creaked open, but Ari did not look back. He recognized the footsteps as his father's brisk pace.

Eli David walked in, his face taunt and severe, but his eyes were blank guarding his emotions as he glanced at his only son. He was not a sentimental man. Years of tragedy and death had forged him into this cold, distance man and he in turned forged his children to be just like him.

"Father," Ari greeted, but he stayed standing.

Eli sighed, settling down in his great chair behind his desk. "Ari," his father greeted him, "you have a new assignment."

"Hamas?" Ari ventured a guess. It was the usual thing, they used him as a mole to infiltrate Hamas terrorist groups and bring them down from the inside out. It was why he carried the name Haswari instead of David.

"No," Eli told him, sliding the large manila folder across the desk.

Ari stepped forward, and picked up the folder opening. He flipped it open and his eyebrows raised. "NCIS?" He asked, looking at his father. "What would Mossad need of the Naval Criminal Service?"

"In three days time," Eli informed his son, "the body of a terrorist will make it's way to the NCIS morgue. In the items on him is something containing a mutated strain of the small pox virus. You mission it to retrieve it before someone else does."

He turned the page in the file, and found himself staring down at the picture of Dr. Donald Mallard. There was quite a list of accomplishments, they even went to the same alma mater. A man to be admired, Ari thought running his finger across the file dedicating each word to memory. His gaze flickered up to his father and he asked, "What shall be done with the medical examiner after I retrieve the item?"

"Dispose of him as you see fit," Eli stated, nonchalantly.

That was what you got when dealing with the David family, talking about death and murder as if it were the weather. Ari nodded, though it would be such a great shame to kill such a brilliant mind. He flipped from the medical examiner to the team that would be working on the case. He found himself staring at the picture of one, Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

His eyes narrowed at the picture, feeling a familiar burn in the pit of his gut. There was something about the sternness, something about the years etched into the man's face and look in his eyes that ignited a flicker of hatred reserved only for his father. Even after all the years, he couldn't suppress the lingering hatred for the man especially after his mother's death four years ago. She had been the only one who was able to draw any semblance of emotion out of him, and now she was gone.

He raised his gaze to Eli David's and quirked up an eyebrow. "How soon do I leave?"

Evelyn's heart beat faster as she brought the food out to the patio table, she looked around the brick gazebo that set out behind her house just before the meadow and lake. This place was serene, gave her a sense of peace and calm. A place of respite. It was the real reason Audrey had bought it for her. It was a place she hated sharing with anyone, a place where no one could hurt her. It was her sanctuary.

The very thought of having her teammates here, left her biting at the nails. Her hands were shaking as she made sure everything was set up, and there would be no need for any of them to go into the house. She walked over the barbecue pit, checking the food and tossed in another log of hickory watching the flames curling around it early.

That's when the noise of a car pulling up her gravel driveway made her jump, startled. She saw Tony's blue car pulling up the drive and drew in a deep cleansing breath, she made her way around the house and towards the front to greet him. Her flipflop clapped against the stone walk way loudly and she jogged down the steps just as the car pulled to a halt.

She saw Tony get out of the car, he gave her a little wave before opening the back door. She then saw Ducky get out of the passenger door. "Thank you for the lift, Anthony," Ducky told Tony, as the younger man helped Ducky's mother out of the car.

"No problem, Ducky," Tony said, praying that Ducky's mother wouldn't make grabs at him. She had been flirty with Tony ever since they got into the car, and had been making some suggestive remarked to Ducky's embarrassment.

Evelyn walked over. "Tony, Ducky," she nodded, smiling slightly. "Hello, Mrs. Mallard, how are you feeling today?" She asked, the woman in a completely normal tone of voice. She didn't like it when people took that tone, like they were talking to a child with people who had Alzheimer's or amnesia. Just because that happened to a person, didn't make them less than a person.

"Oh, Rebecca, darling," Mrs. Mallard mistook Evelyn for one of her old girlfriend from her youth. "I hope you don't mind that I brought Francesco along. Isn't he just a Big six?" She then leaned and confided in a not so quiet whisper. "Though I fear he maybe a bit of a poof. I've been putting my charms on him the entire drive here, but alas…"

Tony made a choking noise.

Evie gave Tony a cat-like smile before leaning towards Mrs. Mallard. "Don't worry, doll. He's just playing hard to get, you know men these days. They expect us women to do all the chasing," Evelyn gave a roll of her eyes with an exasperated sort of smile. "Besides, I heard Francesco is…rather naïve about the things that go on between men and woman, if you get my meaning."

"Oh," Mrs. Mallard's eyes lit up and she gave Tony a saucy grin. Tony gulped, fear in his gaze. Ducky who was trying not to die of embarrassment or laughter struggled to say, "This way mother to the gardens. You know how you love the gardens."

"Oh, yes, but I fear only the pansies and witch hazels will be in bloom now," Mrs. Mallard gave a loud sigh.

Tony watched them walk around the house then glowered down at Evie. "You are dead to me," he told her.

Evelyn just smiled up at him, then turned her gaze down when another car pulled up this time carrying Abby and Kate. She eyed the large, sleek black old style car with cobwebs and skull designs on it. As Abby got out, with a bowl of food, Evie commented, "Sweet ride."

"I know," Abby grinned at her car proudly. "I had this ex who redesigns cars and he gave me a discount."

"Why did he give you a discount?" Tony asked.

Abby just got a naughty type of smirk. "Because we stayed friends with benefits," she stated, with a laugh.

"Well, it definitely suits you," Tony looked at the car.

Kate got out, and gave Evelyn a smile. She wasn't sure what she was to Evie, ever since she blurted out Evelyn's amnesia there had been a distance between them. They worked together, even got a long, but were in no way the friends that you go gossip or spill your guts too. Kate had a feeling it would be a long time before anything like that happen. Evelyn smiled at Kate, pleasantly, "So…all we have now to wait for is-" A car sped up through the driveway at a neck breaking pace. "Gibbs."

All agents shared a smile as the car slid in behind Abby's spitting up gravel. Abby scowled, "Gibbs, watch my baby."

Gibbs got out of the car, and gave her a smile which of course made Abby's bad mood disappear. He then looked over Evelyn, "Nice place you have, Matthews."

Evelyn blinked. That hadn't what she had been expecting. "Thank you…boss," she frowned in confusion.

Tony's stomach then decided to announce itself loudly. He blushed lightly with a lopsided grin when everyone looked at him. "So where's the food? I am starving," Tony said.

"You're always hungry, Tony," Kate told him.

"I'm a growing boy," Tony's bottom lip stuck out slightly. He then looked at Evelyn. "So where to, Evie?" He asked.

"I thought I was dead to you," Evelyn said.

"You're alive to me if you give me food," Tony smiled, charmingly.

"Then this way to the patio, that is where we will be dining," Evelyn stated, gesturing for them to follow her.

"Not inside?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

"No one goes inside my house," Evelyn stated, firmly. Kate and Abby blinked then shared a look while Tony looked taken aback by the outburst. Gibbs's eyes narrowed if he were trying to figure out a puzzle. "Sorry…I just…" she shook her head. "Sorry, please, follow me."

They did after a long moment, and Evelyn forced herself not to look back. She met Ducky's gaze after he helped his mother down into a seat. He saw her panic, and gave her a sympathetic look. She stopped in front of the patio table. "Here we are," she stated with a tiny smile.

Abby took a seat beside Ducky setting down her bowl of dirt pudding. "Hey, Ducky," the forensic specialist smiled, waving lightly.

"Hello, my dear," Ducky smiled at her. "Have you met my mother?"

"You want us to sit out on the patio? In February?" Gibbs spoke turning to Evelyn leveling a long stare at her. Why was she so adamant that they couldn't go into the house? What was she hiding?

"The high is seventy-eight, the low fifty five, plenty warm to sit outside," Evelyn stated, firmly. She reached up running her hands through her hair anxiously. "Besides the barbecue pit will be going, you won't freeze to death."

"We won't freeze to death inside either," Tony pointed out.

"I think it's wonderful out here," Ducky stated in a loud tone, and everyone looked at Ducky. The coroner sent them all a sharp look, "It is Evelyn's house, she is the host. We will go where she tells us."

Gibbs's arched a brow, he realized that something was going on here. He didn't know what or why, but if Ducky was adamant he'd let it go. For now. "Alright."

Evelyn let out a tiny sigh of relief.

"Come on, let's go and get seated. Besides I like barbecue." He turned back to Evelyn. "You do have barbecue?"

"What American doesn't?" She stated.

"Good," he nodded. "I was about to pronounce you a communist."

"Now, Anthony, you shouldn't go stereotyping people like that," Ducky scolded the young man, half-heartedly. "Communists, while not the most well liked people, aren't-"

"Okay, okay," Tony held up his hands in surrender. "No more stereotyping…mostly…"

Ducky shook his head slightly. Evelyn moved to the pit, narrowing her eyes against the heat to check the food. Seeing it wasn't done yet, she moved away from the pit and back towards her company. "So…" Kate began. "This is a really large place, Evelyn."

"It is," Evie nodded.

"Why did you get a place so big if it's just you?" Kate wondered, curiously.

"My grandmother bought it for me," Evie stated, a with of her shoulders. "I think she wanted me to settle down and have kids."

"That's kind of hard to do if you never let anyone in," Gibbs pointed out, sardonically.

Instead of the offended or anger he expected, a self-deprecating smile appeared on Evelyn's face. "That's what I said," she stated, with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I just had a thought," Tony said.

"That's new," Kate smiled sweetly.

Tony made a face at her before continuing on, "If we can't go inside, what if we have to the bathroom?" Tony asked.

Evelyn pointed to a building, crafted to be a miniature version of her house that sat just on the edge of the lakehouse. "The lakehouse has a bathroom," Evie stated, bluntly.

"Damn…you have a lakehouse," Tony's shoulders slumped. "If I knew that I would have stayed with you and not at…" He caught his boss's slight glare. "Not that there was anything wrong with your place boss."

Kate raised an eyebrow, while Abby hid an amused smile, and Ducky just sipped his tea. Gibbs however was studying Evelyn's behavior intently and asked, "Why don't you want anyone to go into your house?"

Evelyn turned to him. "Maybe you showed up before I had time to hide the bodies," Evie shot at him sarcastically.

Ducky sputtered on his tea with a laugh, then his mother took this moment to return back to reality, sort of, "Oh! I had a fling with a young man once, he had a marvelous body…" The older woman sent Tony a flirtatious look. "You remind me a lot of him, Francesco was it?"

Tony opened and closed his mouth, not sure how to respond while Ducky flushed red from embarrassment. Abby and Kate sat silent looking between Gibbs and Evie who seemed to be having a stare down. Evelyn's nostrils flared as she let out a sigh before turning back to the barbecue pit. "I think the food is done. Tony can you help me?" She asked him, picking up a large plate to put the burgers, hotdogs and chicken on.

"Sure, no prob," Tony jumped out of the seat and followed her. As they reached the pit, Evelyn flinched back at the heat then handed Tony the plate before using the barbecue fork to grab the food off the blazing pit.

"So…tried to tear anymore man's pants off?" Tony sent her a smirk.

Evelyn growled underneath her breath, and tossed the burger onto the plate. "Laugh it up, DiNozzo," she told him, with a tiny glare. "While you can. One day soon I'll get you back."

"Oh, God," Tony glanced at the food. "You poison food, didn't you?" He asked, half-serious.

"Yes," Evie rolled her eyes, the first traces of a real smile on her face. "With arsenic and old lace."

Tony stared at her a moment. "We are so having a movie night at my place," he stated, seriously.

"I might take you up on that," Evelyn told him. She picked up the last chicken leg, dropping it on the plate, "That's the last one."

"Good…cause this was starting to get heavy," Tony said, readjusting his grip on the plate as they headed back towards the others.

"Use those muscle, Tony!" Abby called out.

"Using them, Abs," Tony smirked at her. He gently placed the giant plate on the table, and gave a sigh of relief.

"Wow…" Kate murmured in surprise. "That's a lot of food. You plan on feeding an army?"

"I planned on feeding a DiNozzo," Evelyn gave a small grin.

Kate laughed, while Tony pouted slightly. Ducky then frowned slightly, "Evelyn, where is Audrey? I was under the impression she would have returned from her trip already?"

Evelyn smiled, not missing the light blush that dusted Ducky's cheeks at the mention of her Nana.

"Nope. She's still in Vegas," Evie stated, with a dry amusement. "She said she need to stay there longer to get more into depth with her wild side."

Ducky chuckled. "That does sounds like Audrey, goes where her fancy takes hers."

Evie nodded then she cursed loudly. "I forgot the ketchup and stuff," she bolted out her chair, and towards the house. "I'll be right back."

"Do you need help?" Abby offered.

"No!" Evie's eyes widened in panic. "No…I've got it. Just…stay there…and talk. I'll be right back." She turned towards the house, hurrying up the stairs.

"Geez…that's was normal," Tony muttered, sarcastically.

Abby frowned, tilting her head. "Yeah…what's up with that?" She asked. "The whole not letting people in her house?"

"I have a few theories," Tony stated, and was about to offer them up when Ducky's mother rose tugging on his arm.

"Come, Francesco," she stated, with a purr. "Show me around the gardens."

Tony gulped, and looked around the table for help. No one offered, not even Ducky. He sighed, getting up and took Ducky's arm and headed off to the garden while shooting Kate a glare because she couldn't contain her laughter any longer.

"So…" Abby started, messing with the hem of her skirt nervously. For a moment everyone wasn't sure what to say, all too curious and concerned about Evelyn's behavior. Gibbs shot at look at the door in which his newest agent had disappeared with a heavy frown. "Kate, haven't you been in her house?" Gibbs asked, looking over at her.

"Yes," Kate nodded. "I've been in her house…once. I could sense she wasn't happy about it. She was constantly moving, pacing, agitated. Not to mention her house was clean like immaculate-"

"We aren't here to profile Evelyn, Catlin," Ducky interrupted the conversation. "We are here to get to know her."

Gibbs tilted his head, considering his long time friend quietly. He was being quite protective over Evelyn's privacy which made him believe that the doctor knew what was going on here, but didn't want to tell them. He didn't like it, but before he could ask there was a yelp from the garden. The doctor sighed, "Oh, dear, I fear my mother has gotten too hands on with poor Anthony."

Ducky rose to go get his mother, while Abby and Kate pulled out their cell phones. Gibbs shot them a look and asked, "Where are you two going?"

"Are you kidding?" Abby sent him a look. "I'm not missing this! Especially if I can get a picture!"

"I'm going to get video," Kate grinned.

Gibbs smirked, giving a small shake of his head and watched the two hurry off after Ducky. His eyes ran over the scenery then he settled on the door, slightly ajar. Now, Gibbs had a feeling in the pit of his stomach and rose from his chair.

Evelyn was piling every bottle or thing they could ever put on a burger or hotdog, in a bowl to carry it one trip. She had known this was a bad idea, she just knew it. She desperately tried to blink away panic tears, her hand shaking as she wiped the tears away. She knew they would have questions, and how could they not? What normal person is so afraid that they can't let anyone in their home? That she had to walk around her home every time she got home to make sure there were no footprints, that nothing had been disturbed. That she had strategically placed string in front of all her plants to help detect intruders or that she had blocked almost block every window in her house with a heavy piece of furniture so no one could get in that way. It would only bring more questions. And the answers to those questions just weren't things that Evelyn wanted to talk about. Things that she hadn't even shared with Audrey and she...she just couldn't do this. She squeezed the ketchup bottle between her hands, and closed her eyes tightly.

I should tell them to go home. I should tell them I...she thought, resisting the urge to hit her forehead against something while she gulped desperate breaths of air. The door behind her opened and she felt the footsteps against her hardwood floor. Panic so powerful welled up inside and she felt like she couldn't breath. Fear pounded through her veins, and instinctively she knew it must be one of the team, but inside her head her mind went to a very different, very horrifying conclusion. Swallowing painfully, she turned the door and saw Gibbs standing there.

"What…what are you doing in here?" Evelyn demanded, her voice going high-pitched. Her heart shriveled up painfully inside her chest, with a searing pain of betrayal hit her hard.

Gibbs stood there, his blue eyes staring her down as the agent's face went ashen. "Why don't you like people in your house?" He asked, conversationally.

Her heart was beating so hard she fear any second it would burst out of her chest, and she dropped the bottle of ketchup on the floor because her fingers went limp like noodles. This was like the time she let Suzanne in her house, Evie had to hide in the kitchen until she managed a semblance to calm. Except this…this was so much worse. "I just don't!" Evelyn snapped. "Get out."

"No," Gibbs shook his head.

"W-what are y-you after here, Gibb-bs?" She stuttered, something she hadn't done in years. She placed a hand on her chest, the pain increasing and a sweat broke out across her skin.

"I want to know what you are hiding. I don't like my team keeping secrets," Gibbs told her, firmly. "It's case for distrust, and when our lives our on the line, I want no reason to distrust you, Matthews. "Now what are you hiding?"

"Hiding? Y-you come int-t-t…" she gave a frustrated growl when the word wouldn't come out right. She wrapped her arms around her midsection holding herself tightly and glared at him. "G-g-get…" she pointed at the door.

"Not until you tell me what's going on with you, Matthews," Gibbs demanded, standing his ground.

"Y-you…can't b-be in he-re," Evie told him, shaking her head back and forth. Her skin crawled with distress while tears burned in her eyes. She hid underneath her bed, her heart pounding in her chest and her feet pressed against the floor ready to bolt when he came closer…the smell of booze on his...Evelyn's hands reached up and she tugged on her hair violently, pulling herself away from the memory as her legs buckled out from beneath her. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she pressed them closed. She heard a curse right beside her, and felt some kneel down beside her.

"Matthews," Gibbs reached out, but Evelyn flinched back.

"Get…out, Da…Gibbs," her voice was distorted by pain and anger. She wanted to cry even harder when she almost called him 'Dad', and she pressed her head into her knees drawing them to her chest.

Gibbs gritted his teeth together. He felt like a bastard, more now than ever before as he watched the woman who had met his glare without batting an eye crumbling down to the floor like he had just tried to physically tried to destroy her. He had just wanted answers for the many questions that surrounded Evelyn Matthews, he hadn't meant to send her into a panic attack. The door behind his slammed open, and he saw Ducky standing there.

"Oh, Jethro, why couldn't you just leave well enough alone? I expect this sort of behavior from Anthony, but you?" Ducky clucked his tongue at Gibbs, and knelt down beside Evelyn. "This is one of the worst attacks I've ever seen her have."

"What the hell is wrong with her, Duck?" Gibbs demanded, his chest tightening in worry for his agent.

"It's a panic attack induced by her agoraphobia," Ducky explained. "Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder linked to several other phobias as well as panic attacks. There are several different ways people exhibit agoraphobia, for Evelyn it's a matter of social situations, crowdedness and people."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "I've seen her with witnesses, and suspects, she has no fear of them," he stated.

"She was in her work environment, she is able to cope with it better there," Ducky told him. "And it took years for her to be able to do that of that I am certain. Here in her own home, she has an compulsive need to keep everything the way she needs it to be. And to keep people out…" Ducky sighed. "Here pick her up, we'll take her to the music room. She is most calm there."

"You know where the music room is?" Gibbs frowned, he slipped his arm around Evie's waist and the other underneath her knees hauling her off the ground. "I thought she didn't let anyone in the house."

"She only let my mother and I in for ten minutes before her disorder became unbearable, and that is after several months of us having tea," Ducky pointed out. "This way."

"Why is she like this?" Gibbs asked, his eyes glancing around the hall. There were no photos, and everything was polished with not a spec of dust in sight. Ducky pushed open a door, let Gibbs through. It was a large room, made for acoustics with a large black piano and a few other instruments. Everything in the room was kept in pristine condition, and if Gibbs wasn't mistaken he smelt the scent of fresh paint. He raised an eyebrow, he had never taken Evelyn for a neat freak.

"Here, over on the couch," Ducky pointed.

Gibbs sat Evelyn down, and stared at her face barely able to hide his concern. Beads of sweat were rolling down her cheeks, and her blue eyes were dazed as if she were having trouble focusing on what was going on. Her hands held onto his arms like a frighten child, clinging to her father, and Gibbs on instinct reached petting her hair like he had done with Kelly when she had a nightmare. "Shh…shh," Gibbs told her gently.

Evelyn's muscles one by one relaxed, until she was slumped back against the couch. "Wh…wha…" She placed a shaky hand against her forehead, trying to sort through the chaos running rampant inside of her mind.

"Deep breaths, Evelyn," Ducky told her in a genial tone. "In…and…out…" He watched her do as she was told. "Good girl. There could be several reasons, Jethro," Ducky frowned at him. "Agoraphobia is often triggered by a traumatic event, but if you want to know what you would have to ask Evelyn."

"W-what are we doing in the music room?" Evelyn blinked her bleary eyes, and took in deep long breaths. Then her blue eyes fell onto Gibbs, and she remembered exactly what happened. "Get out!" She looked ready to punch him in the face.

"Evelyn, calm down," Ducky placed a hand on her shoulder. "Gibbs and I will be heading outside in a moment, but only after we are certain you are fine, my dear girl."

Evie's jaw clenched, but she slowly nodded. She drew in slow breath, holding them in for a moment before releasing them. All the while her eyes were spitting dangers at her boss. After a few minutes, her body finally stopped shaking and she rubbed her temples. "The others will start to get worried," she commented, trying to find some way to move past her panic attack without it being awkward.

"Matthews," Gibbs began.

"Look, boss," Evelyn cut him off. "I respect you, but this…this isn't something I'm ready to talk about." She wouldn't meet Gibbs eyes, her chest tightening in humiliation. Gibbs stiffened and she could see he wanted to say more, but he nodded his head surprising her.

Ari snorted, his movements fluid and deadly as he passed Paula Cassidy's team. Paula Cassidy and her team were imbeciles. They were too engrossed in grumbling about their case being handed off to Agent Gibbs's team to notice to notice that he and his partner just walked right past them. He smirked as he slid the door behind him and his partner, Michael Rivkin, shut. They entered the room where the body bag waited to be transferred in the morning to Dr. Mallard's autopsy. Ari unzipped it, and picked up the body out of the bag. Him and Rivkin put him in a slab out of sight, by the time someone checked, Ari would already be in and out of NCIS.

Ari checked his weapons over just as a precaution even though he knew they were in prefect condition. Finally, he laid inside the bag. Rivkin gave him a parting word of good luck before zipping the bag up.

Ari was encased in darkness, and the stench of death surrounded him. A humorless smile pulled at his lips at his situation, and he merely closed his eyes. He could tolerate this; he had endured much worse. Ever since a small child, he was taught how to endure. His boyhood was a clutter of bloody and painful images, of being bullets tearing through his gut, to knives piercings his flesh. He was taught how to endure every type of pain imaginable, and how to inflict it.

He was like a machine, trained for any possible scenarios and made to camouflage himself amongst his enemies. He knew a thousand ways to kill someone just off the top of his head and he was taught how to use sex as a weapon, able to seduce any woman out of her clothes, and her secrets then to dispose of her if necessary. He had done so more times than he could count. He could hit a target a mile away in a high wind without a problem, or deliver a lethal does of poison by passing his victim on the street without them feeling anything more than a little prick like an insect bite from the needle.

He was a killer, murderer, assassin. He had never been anything else, and killing was all he knew. His father had made sure of that, putting Ari through things as a young child that would make even the most of elite of Mossad flinch in disgust. He remembered a time that Mossad made inquires on Eli David's treatment of his children, but Eli had a silver tongue easily out maneuvering them. It's how he became head of Mossad after all. Ari slowly his breathing, pushing away the remnants of his past until he was in a peaceful state close to sleep, but still alert of everything around him.

After all, he was going to be here for a while. Might as well get comfortable.

The rest of the evening went smoothly. Evelyn managed to relax slightly, and Gibbs made no mention of her panic attack though he did keep shooting her concerned glances every once in a while. Evelyn and Abby started talking to Ducky about autopsy and the two woman were eagerly listening to everything he said. Tony was talking to Kate about recent movies that were good, while Tony dodged Mrs. Mallard's attempts at groping him.

By the time darkness fell, a sense of ease and nostalgia filled Gibbs seeing his team relax and genuinely enjoyed the time spent there. Kate was the first to yawn, must to Tony's amusement and he teased her mercilessly. She scoffed and rolled her eyes at him. Gibbs watched the two of them, giving a smile shaking his head. He knew sooner or later the two of them would break Rule #12. He just hoped for their sakes it didn't end as badly as it had for him.

His eyes glanced over Evelyn again. There was something achingly familiar about her, that left him on edge. It was like something that was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't place it to save his life. It was just one of the many things that held him back from fully accepting her, even if his team already had. But his distrust of her, didn't stop him from feeling…a little bit guilty for sending her into a panic attack. One by one the team disbanded, Abby and Kate chattering about what they were going to do with Tony's embarrassing moment and Tony with Mrs. Mallard's hand firmly attached to his butt with Ducky as red as a beet.

Gibbs stayed back, waiting for others to leave before he made some sort of attempt at…he didn't know what. He watched Evelyn slowly pick up the remnants of the mess and head towards her house. "Matthews," he called out.

Evelyn heaved a sigh before turning back towards him, lingering in the doorway of her house. Her face was carefully blank as she stared down at him.

He grimaced, feeling out of his element and ran a hand down his face. He wasn't good with apologies, they rarely did any really good. "I don't like not knowing things. It usually leads to someone I care about getting hurt and I-"

"Don't trust me," Evie nodded, her stance relaxing slightly. She let her arms fall to her sides, and sighed. "I get it. I don't necessarily like that you felt the need to pry into my privacy, but I understand it so no real harm done."

"No real harm?" Gibbs scoffed.

"I've dealt with panic attacks before," Evie shrugged. "Besides, I guess it just really proved me right."

Gibbs stood there silent for a moment, before slipping his hands into his jeans pockets. "Right about what?" He inquired, staring at her.

Evelyn sent him that smile again, the self-deprecating smile that had a hint of 'I know something you don't know' mixed in. She stared at him with infinitely sad eyes and she admitted, "I don't trust you either."

And she shut the door in his face.

END OF CHAPTER

I know it's a lot shorter than the last chapter, but I really used this to develop Evie's relationship with the team and to introduce Ari to the story. Of course the next chapter is going to be 'Bete Noire', but with an Evie twist, so stand turned! I have to admit that Christine Feehan's novel Water Bound has helped me develop Evelyn who is sort of based on Christine's lead female Rikki, so for the sake of keeping my ducks in a row, disclaimer here!

I totally realized that I couldn't have Ari with the body because it would mess with the plot outline for the next chapter.

RRs are appreciated